Mini is currently working on the chassis of the new three-door car in Lapland. It will hit the streets in autumn 2023. The unusual: There will then be a combustion version made in Oxford as usual. And an e-mini that dares Brexit and rolls off the assembly line in China. Both have the same chassis and the same look, but otherwise little to do with each other.
One car, two plants: the classic combustion Mini will continue to be built in Oxford, while the E-Mini will come from China in the future.
Longer wheelbase, wider track: Even sitting in the front passenger seat you can feel how well the new Mini is.
The new Mini drives like it’s on rails
Even as a passenger, you can feel the clear differences between the old and new model generation. A Mini has never been so full and safe on the road. Nothing stirred, nothing shaken. “For example, we have lengthened the wheelbase and increased the track width,” says Bramer. “This improves comfort, especially at higher speeds.” As a matter of fact. As if on rails, the new whirrs through the curves. The weight? Still unclear. Definitely lighter than the E predecessor, which weighs 1440 kilograms. In addition, the new Mini should be shorter.
A range of 400 kilometers is targeted for the Mini Cooper SE – assuming you have the right driving style.
Up to 400 kilometers range
A look through the side window: the interior of the new Mini is still a secret. What is certain is that things will change.
Inside, the new Mini is tidier
And inside? Secret like Her Majesty’s Secret Service. Nevertheless, we’ll lift the black cloths that do that cockpit cloak. Whoa! In the middle we uncover a touch display, big and round like a frying pan for a family portion of Ham & Eggs. These include real switches, for example for the radio, the driving experience and the obligatory start button. There are also buttons for the window heating and the parking beeper, among other things. The climate control, on the other hand, will also work on the Mini via the touch display in the future – we have never found it good.
Five generations: Ur-Mini (1959-2000), first BMW Mini (from 2001), its successor (from 2006) and the third generation (since 2014). In the front left the youngest scion.
Mini generation five is set to be a success in China
With production in the Far East, Mini is hoping for a local sales boost. So far, China has only accounted for ten percent of sales, well behind Great Britain and Germany. That should change with the new E models. And what about the combustion engine? In Germany he should hardly play a role. Of the around 34,000 Mini Cooper SEs sold worldwide last year, around 10,000 went to Germany – more than to any other country.
Good news for traditionalists at the end: the new E-Mini remains a real Brit in one respect – the Union Jack will continue to adorn its rear lights.
